Player Doesn’t Recall Gambling Discussion

Fresno State basketball guard Dominick Young said Monday he doesn’t recall talking to an alleged gambler that the Fresno Bee newspaper claims had a conversation with Young at a nightclub.

“I don’t recollect coming across the individual they are talking about,” Young said at a news conference.

The newspaper reported last Thursday that university officials, and possibly law enforcement agencies, are investigating rumors that Fresno State players shaved points.

The article said the investigation focuses on Young. The Bee added that he was seen at a nightclub after one game with a Fresno businessman the Bee identified as a “sizable sports bettor with ties to organized bookmaking.”

Jurisprudence

St. Louis Ram running back Lawrence Phillips pleaded not guilty to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from a party last month at an Omaha hotel that police said got out of hand.

Phillips, 21, did not appear in court but entered the plea to the misdemeanor charge through his attorney.

Chicago Bear defensive end Alonzo Spellman, 25, was released on $5,000 bond after being arrested on felony charges of transporting a loaded gun in his car.

Spellman, who founded a charitable foundation that seeks to end street violence, was arrested Sunday night after Illinois State Police stopped him on a Chicago-area tollway. He was driving 88 mph in a 55-mph zone.

An handgun was found between the front seats. Spellman faces up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Tennis player Roscoe Tanner surrendered to authorities in Somerville, N.J., to face prosecution for failing to pay child support.

Tanner, 45, was released after posting $10,000 bail for willful non-support of a child he fathered with Connie Romano.

Tanner, a married father of four, met Romano in May 1993 and had a brief affair with her that produced a daughter, Omega Anne Romano, officials said.

Tanner allegedly is behind on a $1,000-a-week order entered last June by Somerset County Superior Court Judge Graham Ross.

Tennis

Jan Kroslak of Slovakia recovered from a first-set loss to beat No. 4 seed Alex Radulescu of Romania, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, in the $203,000 Copenhagen Open.

In other first-round matches, No. 5 seed Thomas Johansson of Sweden downed Johan van Herk of Belgium, 6-4, 7-5, and Nuno Marques of Portugal defeated Renzo Furlan of Italy, 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-1.

Miscellany

A newspaper poll has found that the San Francisco 49ers’ plan to build a new stadium is likely to meet stout opposition from voters.

The San Francisco Chronicle survey found that 47% of voters polled opposed a ballot measure to raise $100 million for the $536-million stadium. Thirty-nine percent supported the plan and 14% were undecided.

The June 3 ballot measure calls for issuing $100 million in lease-revenue bonds to help pay for the 75,000-seat stadium and shopping mall at Candlestick Point.

The Los Angeles Galaxy has acquired Welton Araujo Mello from the New England Revolution for a first-round pick in the 1998 Major League Soccer draft, the team announced. Welton had three goals and six assists for New England and was named to the 1996 all-star game.

After more than a century as a football independent, Army broke with tradition and joined Conference USA.

Army will begin conference play in 1998, giving the league eight football teams. Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Mississippi and Tulane are the current members, with East Carolina to begin play this fall.

Two-time champion Martin Buser reached Elim with his closest rivals in the Alaska’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race having just about given up the chase.

Buser and his team of 11 dogs reached the tiny village on Norton Bay on Monday at 4:25 p.m. Alaska time. Barring any difficulties, he’s expected to cross the finish line in Nome and claim his third victory sometime today.